


You’ve forgotten what you have (and what is yours)

by Deeambles



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gods AU, Happy Ending, M/M, Other various supporting cast from rookie 12 and exasperated adults, Reincarnation, brief angst, semi trucks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 16:54:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20567696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deeambles/pseuds/Deeambles
Summary: Sasuke slams the gas down on an old back road and goes flying past the cow fields outside the city with a particular recklessness that makes Naruto throw his hands up and laugh without abandon.He throws his head back and laughs as Naruto cranks up the radio to some shitty pop song. He’s practically standing in his seat, despite the seatbelts best efforts otherwise and his voice is so off key Sasuke swears he hears the cows mooing to shut him up.





	You’ve forgotten what you have (and what is yours)

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Undertow](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19439974) by [WrithingBeneathYou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrithingBeneathYou/pseuds/WrithingBeneathYou). 

Izuna disappears underneath the new moon, when the ocean is cast to darkness and the light of the stars isn’t enough where their covered by the clouds. 

Madara, the god of fire and hearth, rages where he made his semipermanent home in the string of volcanos that lay deep beneath the strenuous waves off the cost of the eddies. 

It does not go unheard of by the other gods, who do their absolute best to avoid Madara, while simultaneously asking all their neighbors if they’ve seen the god of mischief. 

Hashirama, the god of earth and cardinal connection is the first to approach Madara once he hears of what happens. Mito, ever benevolent, practically shoos him out of her domain to go visit, insisting she’ll take her matters up with Touka in the high heavens. 

When Hashirama dives down to the trenches of the deep he finds his best friend nearly molted to the Volcano he calls his home. Hunks of lava running off his skin like a snake that had trouble molting. His hair is as black as the plumes of oily smoke coming out from the underwater vents, and his eyes are red and bloodshot as the rubies that Hashirama occasionally decorates the ground with. 

“Madara?” Hashirama calls out cautiously, “can you hear me?” 

Hashirama’s ties to the earth give him easy mobility to everywhere but the sky so approaching Madara isn’t ever the problem, nor is the braving the water Tobirama loves, but—

But Izuna, the god of Mischief and wind. The god who sails the sky’s and only lands in water because he enjoys Tobirama’s company. Tobirama’s domain benefits from the currents Izuna brings upon his arrival everyday, but without him, everything seems unnaturally quiet, still, and the caustic bubbles that are erupting from Madara’s volcanos go straight up with nothing to challenge them. 

Speaking of Tobirama.... 

“Madara, I know your brother is missing—“ there’s really no one who doesn’t know at this point, “ but have you searched for my brother? Have you asked him? They are but inseparable, my old friend.” 

Madara looks up, his human core wrapping his element and power back into something resembling man, not that Hashirama cares much for any particular form but it is a comfort to have your power condescend, he knows. 

“Your brother... Tobirama. He—agh” Madara chokes in anger, “Of course I did! He was gone in an instant but his domain is so big, who knows when he’ll be back.” 

Hashirama knows this to be true, he had called out to the bond between him and Tobirama, between water and earth, but he was rebuffed which had only made him run to Madara faster. 

“It doesn’t matter now, Hashirama” Madara says, nearly sinking deeper in the lava pocket he’s found himself in. 

“What do you mean?” Hashirama asks.

“He’s been recreated, reborn, rebirthed, I felt the bond between us snap.” 

Hashirama sucks in a breath because that means— 

“He—“ 

“Died” Madara finishes for him, “I felt that too.” 

“Oh. Oh, Madara, I’m so sorry but, can you feel it? The new bond? If he was reborn—“ 

“No” Madara interrupts, “all I have is an instinctual feeling. He’s too far or too weak wherever he is.” 

Madara breathes out a sob, “but—“ he chokes , “but before, when he died of his own stupidity, I felt the bond break and reform new, but now—“ 

Madara inhales on a hard breathe, eyes blown wide. Hashirama quickly makes his way over the solidifying obsidian to crouch next to his friend and pull him into a hug. 

“Now he’s been reborn as human” Hashirama finishes softly, petting down embers in Madaras hair, “it’s not unfixable, he is not lost. They age quickly, mortals do, and then all it takes is brought back memories and his power will return and fix his body to be worthy of a god once more. He’s not really human, Madara, just hosting one.” 

Hashirama is really more worried about the implication that there’s something killing gods, and to take out izuna, is a show of might indeed. 

There’s a chance that Izuna did it to himself on accident again, but really, that’s pushing it, even gods learn from their mistakes. 

Madara sniffs a hand on Hashirama’s knee squeezes firmly, “I know. But finding him...” 

Finding him is near impossible, Hashirama thinks sadly. It could take life times to find one tiny human hosting the bare amount of wind power necessary to be the god of the skies.  
They are not guaranteed to look the same when they come alive again, nor will a mortal ever name a child after a god. 

The chances of running into them... well it’s always been surprising slim. 

“Have faith, my friend.” Hashirama says instead. 

Madara shakes his head, sparks flying off his bangs and tears of ash rolling down his face and his voice cracks like thunder when speaks once more. 

“What else do I have?” 

—————

“Sasuke! You’re going to be late!” Mikoto yells from the kitchen. 

“I’m coming mom!” Sasuke calls back, grabbing his book bag off its hook and bolting out of his room, running full speed to the front foyer. 

On his dash past the kitchen Mikoto catches him by the scruff of his clothes like an exasperated mother to her kitten, and dangles him a bit in the air. 

“Mooom” Sasuke whines, “I’m gonna be laaate.” 

The effect is ruined by the way he’s hanging midair by his shirt and backpack, but Sasuke has never minded air beneath his feet. Or body, really. He’s given Mikoto several heart attacks the way he jumps off furniture and playground equipment alike. Being scruffed however...

“Then you should of thought of that before you hit snooze on your alarm no less the three times.” Mikoto teases putting him down in front of the counter where a bento and granola bar awaits him. 

Sasuke grins, “Thanks mom!” He swings his backpack around shoving the bento inside and sticking the granola in between his teeth for safe keeping. 

Mikoto rolls hers eyes, “don’t choke dear youngest of mine and don’t be late!” 

Sasuke laughs and waves a hand in goodbye as he runs out the door, munching on the granola as he runs toward the school bus just pulling on to his block. 

Naruto is fidgeting in his seat where he's waiting for Sasuke to join him. 

“Well?” Sasuke asks, finishing his granola bar off in a flurry of crumbs. 

“Got it.” Naruto says grinning, mischief burning in his eyes. 

He opens his back pack a smidge to show Sasuke an assortment of unfilled water balloons, rubber bands, tape, and spray paint. 

Sasuke makes a satisfied hum and gives Naruto his own devious grin. 

Today was going to be awesome. 

——

“NARUTO” Iruka-sensei screams out, his voice echoing throughout the halls of the school. 

Sasuke a and Naruto don’t have the same lunch period but Sasuke knows that’s the signal. 

He excuses himself from his little lunch group, careful to not disturb Shikamaru where he fell asleep in his sandwich and heads off to the bathroom. 

The bathroom is marginally empty except for a small kid that sneaks his dog into school all the time, and Sasuke cheerfully waves to Naruto and his occasional prank friend. 

Kiba gives him a big grin and wink where he heads out the bathroom. 

Sasuke practically bounces down to the stall that’s constantly out of order and crawls beneath the door, under the yellow keep out sign. 

Sitting atop the toilet is the water balloons, rubber bands and tape. 

Sasuke pockets the tape and rubber bands before grabbing the water balloons and sliding back under the door and running up to the sink. 

This is the tedious part so for maximum efficiency, he turns on all the taps and sticks water balloons on periodically so he has to run between them all before the weight pulls them off and the water spills out. 

It’s a grueling process but Sasuke is a prank expert; him and Naruto are practically black belts of the prank world. 

After all the water balloons have been filled he takes an extra bucket from the supplies closet and starts piling them in. It takes only a quick second to to drag the bucket to the door, to peak out. 

Thankfully, Iruka sensei isn’t back in his classroom across the hall yet and Sasuke drags out the bucket and shuffles down the hallway towards the small classroom at the end where detention/cool down time is served. 

After sneaking in as quiet as possible he sticks the bucket full of water balloons under the empty teachers desk and places a rubber band on one of the normal desks before smushing himself next to bucket. 

And he waits. 

Not even five minutes later, he hears the tell tale sign of scuffling and Naruto's signature whining. 

“Aweee comeonnn Iruka-sensei.” 

“No, Naruto, you’ve disrupted class enough today. Sit in here till the bell rings and you can go to lunch.” 

“But sensei—“ 

“No, Naruto. Now sit, and do this worksheet. I’ll send somebody to check on you.” Iruka says firmly before the sound of the door shutting firmly rings out in the mostly empty classroom. 

There’s a stretch of silence but he hears the whisper of— 

“Sasuke?” 

“Right here.” Sasuke responds, grinning as he pops up behind the desk. 

Naruto is a mess of purple and red paint but his smile is no less bright as he twiddles the rubber band between his fingers. 

“The water balloons?” Naruto asks, skipping up out of his seat. 

Sasuke drags them out, “Right here. Ready?” 

Naruto laughs as he scoops up a couple in his hands. 

“I was born ready.” 

——-

“And that Mrs. Uchiha and Mrs. Uzumaki is how your sons decided to spend their afternoon instead of getting an education.” 

“I see.” Mikoto says, her voice perfectly flat, “well thank you for telling us professor Umino, but I’ll be taking my son home now.” 

“Me too, dattebayo.” Kushina says. She doesn’t say they won’t do it again, because really, there wasn’t a single person in the room that believed it. Iruka, at least knew better by now. Thank the gods the principal had another emergency to attend to, since the headmaster seems to believe monologuing is the acceptable punishment for naughty children. 

Iruka waves them off though and Kushina and Mikoto herd their sons out the office and through the school doors, towards the cars. 

“Sooo.” Kushina drawls, “you get em good?” 

Sasuke hears his mom sigh but he and Naruto turn toward Kushina sporting matching grins. 

“Yes!” 

————

“I found him.” Tobirama says into the quiet. 

Madaras head snaps up, “Show me.”

——

Sasuke really misses being young and innocent when pranking people with Naruto was the most of his concerns. 

He didn’t know that being crammed into a minivan with 5 of his cousins was apart of being an adult but here he is, shoved between Itachi and the window where he’s got his face smushed in the tiny gap that provides the only breathe of fresh air he’s going to get. 

He hates cars, being claustrophobic on the best of days, and absolute meltdowns on the worst. 

Itachi soothingly tries his best to shove Shisui the other way but the tiny van gives nobody space, especially not the ones shoved into the third row. 

The beach at least, is a welcome sight, even if the hours of being cramped into a car makes it nearly not worth it. 

“We’re almost there.” Mikoto says calmly from the front passenger seat. His aunt, where she’s driving, laughs along with her and assured them they’ve nearly made it, if the traffic is anything to go by. 

By the time they pull in, Sasuke, in his 20s or not, leaps over the back of the second row and his baby cousins and makes for the door. 

He distantly hears Mikoto scolding him, and his cousins complaining, and Itachi calling out but his feet take him flying across the parking lot, and the wind in his ears blocks everything else out. 

He hits the sand and doesn’t stop, bolting around people and tripping a few times where his foot sunk to far. By the time he hits the water, he’s panting and sweaty and his knees ache where they are covered in little sand grains but he keeps running. 

He runs until he’s swimming and he swims till he approaches the sand bar and his body forces him to stop and stand and catch his breathe. 

The water, now that he takes a second to feel it, is warmer than he thought it would be and there’s little fish swimming up to his feet where he’s suspended himself across the sand bar. 

Slowly he lets himself sink below the surface and opens his eyes, the salt should sting, according to every one of his relatives but he’s never had a problem with it and he abuses it every time they have a beach weekend. 

Slowly he looks around spotting a sand dollar not to far off the bank and he pushes himself for a closer look, tiny fish scattering at his sudden movement. 

As it turns out the starfish is a little ways off the shallow ledge but not too far, and just as he goes to pick it up and maybe show off to one of his baby cousins, a flash of white shoots by in the corner of his eye. 

Sasuke whips around in the water, bubbles temporarily blocking his line of sight, and faces the deep drop of the ocean ledge. 

Sasuke suspends himself for another second, whipping his head back and forth for anything that might have been, but he sees nothing. Not even a fish. 

Before he can think of it his lungs start to protest his lack of oxygen and he gently scoops the sand dollar up and kicks like hell back toward the surface. 

Sasuke is aware he’s the small fish in these waters, and even he’s not dumb enough to test his luck. 

—— 

“You’re right, it was him.” Madara says, a finger tracing nonsensical patterns into the wooden table of Hashirama’s dining room. 

“Well. Better one reincarnation than two.” Hashirama says positively. 

Madara just grunts, they did get lucky, now it’s up to them to make sure they don’t waste it. 

Tobirama, where he sits wrapped in a towel on the kitchen counter just hums in agreement as if he can read Madara’s thoughts. 

They still have work to do and Izuna’s reincarnation has a family, (ironically the one Madara favors. Of course the god of mischief hid under their noses for over two decades in the most obvious place there was) and friends, and mortals are surprisingly touchy about things like that. They are not prone to be easily separated and Izuna, well, Sasuke, would not just walk into the ocean with Tobirama if he asked. Earlier today, when he was nearly caught fantasizing he could go up and hug, kiss, and welcome Izuna home was a close enough call as it was. 

It does not make it hurt any less. Hashirama runs a hand over his knee, ever able to read people’s emotions and be a rock of support when one needs, and yet, Tobirama still feels like he did over two decades ago. 

Like utter shit, because they still have no idea what killed Izuna. 

Tobirama swears right then and there if Izuna did it on accident he WILL murder the wind god himself, Madara’s rage be damned. 

————

“Sasuke?” 

“Yeah, Naruto?” 

“You ever wish you could fly?” 

“You have no idea.” 

————

Sasuke may be doing a little over the speed limit but too be fair, it’s Naruto’s fault. 

Sasuke got a convertible charger for his 24th birthday to replace the old shitty Honda he’s been driving since he was 16, and he refused to drive the family minivan. 

Sasuke slams the gas down on an old back road and goes flying past the cow fields outside the city with a particular recklessness that makes Naruto throw his hands up and laugh without abandon. 

It’s not the first time they did this, they “broke in” the car the night of his birthday nearly 5 months ago, but the feeling of euphoria and wind in his hair is to addicting to Sasuke to stop. 

Naruto laughs with his hands above his head and eggs Sasuke to go faster and so he Does. 

It’s a full moon out and the fireflies are all but streaks making up his own personal runway as he flies down the old straightaway like him and Naruto are the only people in the world. 

He reaches 90, 100, 110, and the cows munching in the field are all but flashes of blue LEDs reflecting off their eyes. 

Sasuke throws his head back and laughs as Naruto cranks up the radio to some shitty pop song. He’s practically standing in his seat, despite the seatbelts best efforts otherwise and his voice is so off key Sasuke swears he hears the cows mooing to shut him up. 

Then to contrast the blue and yellow flashes, a nearly false image of green and gold circles appears in Sasuke’s vision, to which he snaps his head around to look. Can cows be gold? They definitely aren’t green, he thinks, looking into the field to his left for any more sign of the strange shape. 

While looking for something not there, he doesn’t see the semi with the broken headlights. 

He doesn’t hear the horn blaring over the music or the malfunctioning brakes over the chargers engine. 

All he sees is a full moon until, that too, blinks out like light. 

————

Sasuke groans, his head is throbbing like someone took a sledge hammer to it and his back feels like it needs to be walked on. 

He hears whispering above him and something that might be an argument but his head hurts and he’s tired despite not even opening his eyes. 

He can feel warmth though and he might be suspended in water now that he thinks about it, but the waters warm, like someone heated it to the exact bath temperature he prefers. 

It’s nice. He likes that. Water and fire. 

He lets the darkness pull him under again and only wonders why the people who clearly know his tastes didn’t notice him wake up. 

———

Izuna blinks open his eyes to a hospital ceiling, the smell of antiseptic, and the first coherent thought that comes to mind is _what fucking god let Izuna get taken away by mortal doctors? _

And then he remembers that’s not the case at all because he’s not Izuna, he’s Sasuke and he was in a car wreck and Naruto was. With. Him. 

Naruto. The mortal best friend he made because he died. Because he was murdered and he didn’t even see it happen. 

Izuna thinks of green and gold eyes and curses so vehemently that he sets of the heart monitors, flooding nurses into his room. 

———

“Absolutely not.” Mikoto repeats. 

“I’m an adult, mom.” Izuna says. He’s not Sasuke and he’s not mortal either but he doesn’t think he’ll ever call her anything but the mother she is. 

Mikoto opens her mouth to argue, but they are all dressed in black and the houses atmosphere is all but depressive even if Kushina wasn’t still sobbing in the other room with Minato all but a standing ghost. 

“Please, mom” he interrupts. He can’t be here. He isn’t safe. She isn’t safe. 

“You don’t live here anymore, Sasuke, but please don’t try to take on this burden by yourself. 

He gives her a small smile, gods knows she has no idea, and lets himself be dragged into a hug. 

“Don’t worry about me, mom, I’m gonna binge Netflix and maybe go swim at the beach.” 

She laughs softly, the first he’s heard since he woke up in a hospital before she lets him go and hands him the keys to his shitty Honda. 

“Don’t drown” she teases 

Izuna grins, “as if I could.” 

————

The second Izuna pulls into his resident parking spot, he’s all but shoved his sweater and keys into his mailbox and bolted towards the beach. 

He purposely chose a place to live down by the water, the gods know he didn’t understand before why, but he sure knows now. 

He lets his feet take him as fast as he can and he can feel the air shift around him in response. The wind in his hair, the tears in his eyes, and he practically jumps the barricade to the shitty blocked part of the beach that has old ship barricades and washed up wood where the city doesn’t ever bother to clean it. 

He doesn’t stop though, and as much as he’s done this, he doesn’t trip either. He knows Tobirama won’t know if he remembers and really Sasuke’s done this a million times but—

But he needs to see him. Can’t be with him. Can’t do that to Mikoto or Itachi or Kushina, who thought of him as a son as well. 

He can’t think of Naruto either. Mortal or not, that was his best friend. The only friend that stuck. 

He hits the water with vigor and sends water flying around him as he dives in. Shells scrape the pads of his feet, and his shorts and shirt drag him down but he kicks off his only remaining sandals to the waves. 

He gets a discount at the one store anyways because of how much he buys new shoes. 

The water is nearly unbearable cold despite the sun being fully out, and Izuna regrets privately for the grief he’s caused his brother and lover. 

To be fair, it wasn’t his fault. This time. 

Izuna hits the sandbar and stops for his breath as per usual. Sasuke did this when he was upset. When he felt claustrophobic. When he just fucking wanted to and Izuna is Sasuke for all that he’s not. 

He suspends himself across the water, floating on his back as easily as breathing and privately lets himself grieve for the friend he lost because he’s was being fucking stupid and for some reason some stupid glows eye monster wants him dead. 

He cries and only when his eyes are red and stinging from a mix of saltwater and tears does he wonder if Tobirama is near by watching or if he left him to grieve by himself. 

The currents, ever his friend, keep him floating above the sandbar, not letting him drift away. They do that normally though, and Izuna has resorted to sniffling long enough now that Tobirama might have returned now that the blatant display of emotion is gone. 

There’s only one way to find out. 

Izuna lets himself sink, long hair he let grow out rising above his face as he watches the surface go farther away and feels his back hit the sand. 

He holds his breathe, 90, 100, 110, and his lungs are starting to burn and his vision is starting to fuzz because he’s never trained this body to breathe beneath the waves and Tobirama should know this. 

The water is desperately trying to shove him up but Izuna digs his hands into the sand, grabbing hold of some degraded rope still tethered to a forgotten anchor. If Tobirama wants him up, then he’s going to have to get him himself. 

Izuna might be crying and his heart his beating in his ears and his vision has nearly become all black spots until he sees a blessedly blurry silver/white silhouette that wraps his arms carefully around him before yanking up hard. 

Izuna lets go of the rope and greedily sucks in air wrapping his octopus arms broad pale shoulders, letting himself drape across them like a soaked cat. 

Tobirama huffs

“You nearly drowned.” And holy shit has Izuna missed that deep baritone. “This swimming area is marked off for a reason, you’re lucky I was walking by.” 

Izuna frowns, _what?_ A second more of silence has him realizing Tobirama’s hands are placed too clinically and his voice had no fondness. Now Izuna went and died, sure, but he doesn’t think he deserves that. 

Rearing back in suspicion has him taking in Tobirama dressed like a life guard, red fanny pack and everything. 

Izuna blinks once, twice, and bursts out laughing at the outdated outfit of at least 40 years and Tobirama all but drops him on the sand in surprise. 

“Sir—” Tobirama starts, clearly unsure of how to react. 

“Tobirama—“ Izuna says between laughter, peaking beneath soaked eyelashes to watch the water god freeze, “what are you wearing.” 

There’s a suspended moment of silence that’s only broken up by Izunas chuckles before Tobirama is pulling him back to his feet and pulling him against him like the all mighty water god is drowning. 

Izuna loses his breathe again but for a completely different reason. 

Once they surface for air Tobirama looks him in the eye and says, “Izuna, what happened.” 

And Izuna tells him. 

Tells him he was flying under the stars and he had only landed for a second to help a bird out of a bind, but before he could take off again something came at him from behind and well— that was that. 

Tobirama frowns but accepts it. 

“You need to see your brother.”

“He’ll melt me.” 

“We can fix this body— mito can fix this body.” 

Izuna is the one to frown this time, “Mikoto, Sasuke’s family—“ he tries to explain. 

Tobirama presses his face against his bandages chest, “I know. We expected that.” 

Izuna nods. He couldn’t do that to her. 

“Take me to Aniki.” 

————

Madara doesn’t let go for an hour. He hovers and smothers and It takes Izuna coughing up ash for him to back off just a foot. 

Where Tobirama accepted quietly the story of his death, Madara rages and calls Hashirama to his domain, where Izuna has to repeat again what happened. Or didn’t happen, he really has no idea. 

Hashirama is thoughtful but ultimately smiles and tells him Mito is waiting whenever he’s ready, and assures him the rot won’t be a problem. 

Madara loudly questions what the fuck that’s suppose to mean but Hashirama just laughs and says not to worry about it as the earth always rids itself of disease eventually. 

Then he disappears like the cryptic bastard he is and Madara ultimately relents to letting Izuna go back to where cell service is a thing and mortals lay (mostly, kinda, not really) immune to gods tantrums. 

The seashell he finds in his pocket when he finally gets back to his apartment makes him smile uncontrollably. 

————

Uchiha Sasuke dies a winter morning, snuggled comfortably in bed at the ripe old age of ancient, and out his ashes Izuna, god of wind and mischief whisps to Mito where she crafts him a sturdy body of clay and lightning and dresses him in fire and silk. 

He thanks her profusely but before he can take off she stops him with a tug on his dropping sleeve and says she has something else to show him. 

Curiously, he follows her through a closed door with a fox painted on the front and Izuna nearly faints because sitting on the couch, fidgeting in his seat is Naruto. 

Naruto with fox ears and nine tails but nonetheless Naruto. 

Izuna cries on top of him for a solid 10 minutes before promising that he’ll take Naruto flying for real where there’s so semi trucks and stupid glowing eyes. 

Naruto laughs and agrees so long as they get to do All The Pranks. 

Izuna doesn’t think he’s ever agreed to something quicker and they share once last mischievous grin before Mito shoos him out under orders to “go visit your sulking boyfriend.” 

Izuna kisses the sulk right off his stupidly symmetrical face, so it works itself out in the end. 

That night he flys under the stars and konan must have been happy because the stars shine with vigor and he swears he sees new constellations telling a story he doesn’t care to decipher. 

There’s fire in his soul, ocean in his hair, and wind under his feet, and there’s absolutely no place he’d rather be.

**Author's Note:**

> uni kills writing motivation so I’d love to hear your thoughts!!!


End file.
